Hours: 28 hours (flexibility over 7 days to incorporate some evenings and weekends)
Organisation: It’s not just about what we offer, but how we offer it.
Catalyst is a non-profit organisation working with people to support their health and wellbeing. Established in Guildford for over 30 years, we provide services alongside a variety of statutory and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) colleagues in Surrey and its borders. We believe change is achievable when offered by a flexible, respectful, inclusive and a non-judgemental approach.
Our values are: Kindness, Integrity and Commitment.
Project: Community Connections is a partnership contract funded by Clinical Commissioning Groups and Surrey County Council. The Catalyst Community Connections team works with a range of other partners to collectively offer a wide range of mental health support and wellbeing activities.
The Catalyst service is open to adults within North West Surrey, Guildford and Waverley and Surrey Heath and Farnham Clinical Commissioning Group areas, who want to maintain or increase their sense of wellbeing. Any person wanting support to improve their mental health and wellbeing and/or prevent an existing mental health problem worsening can refer to the service.
Purpose of Job: To support and enable clients to manage their own health and wellbeing; promoting healthier lifestyles and raising the awareness of the concept of ‘wellbeing’ and good mental health within an integrated care pathway.
The role involves delivering community-based activities and interventions, including skills-based groups and wellbeing activities, which are complementary to and reduce the need for services offered by the statutory sector. The groups and activities will aim to help clients to become more confident, enhance their wellbeing, and develop their self-esteem and coping strategies.
This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level. Please note past drug and/or alcohol or criminality history will not necessarily discount you from undertaking this role.
Key Activities:
1. To deliver physical, social and wellbeing activities, using both online digital platforms and face-to-face settings.
2. To empower, motivate and actively support clients to participate in the group activities.
3. To work collaboratively with Link Workers on the progress of clients.
4. To foster a safe and non-judgemental environment for the groups.
5. To maintain Health and Safety in the groups.
6. To create and communicate timetables for groups and activities.
7. To liaise with statutory and voluntary sector partners to set up new groups and co-facilitate groups and activities with partners as and when required.
8. To encourage and support client feedback and use this feedback to support the continuous improvement of the service.
9. To ensure records are maintained both electronically and on paper where appropriate, in line with Catalyst policies.
10. To signpost or refer clients to other services as appropriate.
11. To maintain confidentiality and respect the individual needs of the clients.
12. To provide one-to-one support to clients as needed.
13. To work collaboratively with the Volunteer Coordinator to support the recruitment, retention and development of volunteers.
14. To carry out risk assessments as appropriate.
15. To act as an ambassador for the client group and for Catalyst.
General terms of reference:
1. Work collaboratively across the organisation to offer support to all main functions.
2. Be committed to the role and support Catalyst to be the most efficient it can be.
3. Be someone who believes in fairness and conducts themselves with integrity.
4. Work flexibly across operational sites, including working from home arrangements in agreement with your line manager, as required which may include evening and weekend work.
5. Be motivated to improve personal performance, outcomes, contribution, knowledge and skills.
6. Be professional when partaking in Management, Trustee Board and other work-related team meetings; appraisals, workforce development and supervision processes.
7. Keep abreast of developments in services, legislation and identify good practices where appropriate.
8. Contribute to maintaining safe systems of work and a safe environment for all staff on site or working remotely.
9. Represent Catalyst at external agencies/meetings and support our values and the culture of Catalyst.
10. Assist in ensuring GDPR compliance throughout the service.
11. Adhere to health and safety compliance, ensuring timely and accurate record keeping.
12. Adhere to confidentiality policy.
13. Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post.
Person Specification:
Qualifications and experience:
1. A diploma or degree in an appropriate subject (e.g., counselling, psychology, social work, probation, mental health, Health and Social Care - level 3).
2. Experience of delivering activities or groups, digitally and/or face to face.
3. A minimum of 1 year community experience of mental health, wellbeing, behaviour change work with adults.
Knowledge and skills:
1. An understanding of confidentiality, consent, information sharing, including GDPR.
2. An understanding of Safeguarding policy and practice.
3. Excellent presentation and written skills.
4. Commitment to accurate and confidential record keeping.
5. Ability to interact effectively with clients, colleagues and other professionals whilst retaining clear boundaries.
6. Ability to be non-judgemental, empathetic, compassionate and patient.
7. Ability to work to all the policies, procedures and standards of the service and joint working arrangements with statutory and voluntary sector partners.
8. Knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.
9. Knowledge and skills of engagement, motivational, and behaviour change approaches.
10. Knowledge and understanding of community working, lone working, and ability to maintain safety whilst working in the community.
11. Ability to use supervision effectively.
12. A good understanding of personal limitations, ability to identify when to seek advice and support, and deal with issues in a professional manner.
13. Ability to manage any challenging behaviour from clients and group dynamics.
14. Excellent organisation and planning skills.
Information Technology:
1. Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
2. Ability to enter data onto a database as required by the Service and Commissioners.
General:
1. A full driving licence and insurance for business use including transporting clients.
2. Ability to work flexibly across operational hours and evenings and weekends, where required.
We acknowledge the unique contribution that all Catalyst employees and clients can bring to our organisation in terms of their culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, age, religion or belief and any physical disability or history of mental health or additional problems. All appointments and promotions are based on merit and no job applicant or employee will be treated unfairly or discriminated against. All staff have equal access to staff development. Any member of staff who breaches this policy may be subject to grievance and/or disciplinary procedures.
Please note:
1. This job description may be varied from time to time as agreed by the post holder and line manager.
2. This job description is subject to annual review.
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